EEOC WINS AGE DISCRIMINATION SUIT AGAINST UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PRESS

Jury Verdict Results in $430,000 Award for Fired Older Workers

MADISON, Wis. - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
announced today that it received a favorable jury verdict in a lawsuit against the University of
Wisconsin (UW) Press, a book publishing division of the Graduate School of UW-Madison, filed
under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA). As a result of the verdict,
four former UW Press employees will share $430,427 comprised of back pay, front pay, and
liquidated damages.

In its suit, EEOC charged, and the jury found, that Rosalie Robertson, then 50; Chuck
Evenson, then 54; Mary Braun, then 46; and Joan Strasbaugh, then 47 the four oldest employees
of UW Press were terminated from their employment because of their respective ages and
replaced with younger workers in violation of the ADEA. The jury made an initial finding against
UW Press on the issue of liability on May 8, 2001, when it returned a verdict of intentional age
discrimination in regard to all four terminations. The verdict on damages was returned on
Wednesday evening, May 9.

"Age discrimination is still a persistent problem in today's workplace," said EEOC
Chairwoman Ida L. Castro. "Too many employers still judge older workers based on false
perceptions that they lack current skills, are adverse to training, or no longer have the level of
energy and motivation of younger workers. Employers should be aware that making employment
decisions based on such age-related myths and stereotypes runs afoul of the law."

During the trial, UW Press claimed that, despite their seniority, the four individuals were
laid off for cost reasons and because of a lack of skills in computer technology as part of a
reduction in force (RIF). However, EEOC argued that younger employees were hired into the
same positions shortly after the alleged RIF, and that the four terminated workers were in fact
ready, willing, and able to learn any required new skills to perform their jobs.

Chester V. Bailey, director of EEOC's Milwaukee District Office, which handled the suit,
said: "Under the ADEA, it is unlawful to discriminate against a person because of his or her age
with respect to any term, condition, or privilege of employment including, but not limited to,
hiring and firing. Employers in Wisconsin and Minnesota must be mindful of their responsibility to
judge employees and applicants based on their ability to do the job, rather than on non-job related
factors such as age."

EEOC was represented in the case by trial attorneys Brian Tyndall and Barbara Henderson
of the agency's Milwaukee office.

In Fiscal Year 2000, EEOC received 16,008 ADEA charge filings nationwide and obtained
approximately $56 million in monetary benefits for victims of age discrimination through
enforcement and litigation.

In addition to enforcing the ADEA, EEOC enforces Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act,
which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion or national origin; Title I of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination because of disability; the Equal Pay
Act, which prohibits sex-based wage discrimination; sections of the Civil Rights Act of 1991; and
prohibitions against discrimination affecting persons with disabilities in the federal government.
Coverage generally includes private employers with 15 or more employees as well as federal, state
and local governments, employment agencies and labor organizations. Further information about
the Commission is available on its Web site at www.eeoc.gov.